Protective partial foot-covering or sock



M. u. GONSALVES PROTECTIVE PARTIAL FOOT-COVERING OR socx Filed Sept 28,1953 INVENTOR. MARY U. GOA/SALl/ES United States PatentO "ice PROTECTIVEPARTIS%I(.:IIZOOT-COVERING OR Mary U. Gonsalves, Sherman Oaks, Calif.Application September 28, 1953, Serial No. 382,512

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-10) Generally speaking, the present invention relatesto the foot-wear art and, more particularly, to a protective partialfoot covering or partial sock adapted to be worn effectively positionedbetween portions of a persons foot and portions of a shoe worn by saidperson. In other words, the device of the present invention is adaptedto be forn in lieu of an ordinary stocking or sock when one wishes towear shoes in a bare-legged and virtually bare-footed condition. Womenfrequently wish to do this when wearing shoes of the type commonly knownin the art, as play shoes, summer shoes, sport shoes, wedgies, platformshoes, and various other similar types of snoes. However, their attemptsto wear such shoes bare-footed, produce certain disadvantages. Most ofthese disadvantages arise from the fact that direct contact of theexcretory organs of the skin, the sweat glands and pores, allows theexcretory matter produced thereby to deleteriously affect the interiorportions of the shoe being worn. This is so because of the acidic natureof said excretory matter. Furthermore, the micro-organisms present insuch excretory matter, comparatively rapidly produce offensive olfactoryeffects.

In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages, various prior art attemptsto overcome same have been made. The most satisfactory prior art deviceof this character developed hereinbefore, consists of a partial footsock of a thin porous material such as lisle, rayon and/or nylon (orvarious other materials), which is adapted to be worn over the bare footin a manner virtually coextensive with and immediately inside ofcorresponding surfaces of a shoe worn by the person. In other words,

this prior art arrangement is such that the partial foot sock isobscured from view by the shoe surrounding it so that the externalappearance presented to a casual onlooker would be the same as thatpresented by wearing the same shoe on a completely bare foot. Thus thisprior art arrangement does not have any undesirable aesthetic efiect andyet serves its intended purpose of providing an absorptive interposingmedium between the foot of the wearer and the shoe, thus substantiallyminimizing the above-mentioned undesirable results of direct contact ofthe foot and the shoe.

However, the prior art partial foot sock mentioned above includes a heelportion having upstanding encompassing side portions adapted to form aheel socket or re cess, and can, therefore, only be worn inside of shoeshaving regular encompassing heels if the rear portion of the partialfoot sock is to remain unobstiusive. In other words, if the illusion ofwearing shoes on the bare feet is to be preserved when the shoes haveopen heels, such as many wedgies and play shoes have, or when the shoeshave partially open heels such as is true of slingpumps or the-like, theabove-mentioned. prior art partial foot sock is unsuitable since theside heel portions thereof will be in plain sight in' a highlyundesirable manner from the standpoint of aesthetics.

Generally speaking, the present invention comprises a thin-sheet pliable(usually, though not necessarily, por- Patented Jan. 8, 1957 ous knittedfabric) sole member of a configuration similar to that of a human footand having a front portion thereof provided with a thin-sheet partialvamp or toe-cap portion forming, with the sole member, a toe-receivingpocket (or socket) at the front end thereof. Also ineluded is downwardlydirected pressure-sensitive adhesive fastening means carried by theunderside of said sole member adjacent the rear end thereof andcooperable for selectively removable fastening engagement with the uppersurface of the inside of a shoe sole (usually, though not necessarily,in the heel region of the shoe inner sole) of a shoe worn by the personwhereby to effectively immobilize said rear portion of said sole memberwith respect to said shoe.

In one preferred general form of the present invention, said sole membermay include an underlying resilient pad member (usually, though notnecessarily, foam rubber) co-extensive with and aflixed to the undersideof the rear portion of said sole member. In this form of the invention,the downwardly directed pressure-sensitive adhesive fastening means maybe carried by the underside of said pad member adjacent the rear endthereof and cooperable for fastening engagement with the upper surfaceof the inside of shoe sole of a shoe worn by the person whereby toefiiectively immobilize said rearportion of said sole member withrespect to said shoe.

From the above description of the basic and one preferred version of thegeneric form of the present invention, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that the hereinabove-mentioned disadvantages of priorart constructions are virtually entirely eliminated and overcome in andthrough the use of the present invention.

For example, since the adhesive fastening means underlying the solemember (or underlying the resilient pad member) effectively immobilizesthe rear portion of sole member with respect to the inner sole or heelof a shoe being worn without requiring any enclosure of the sides orrear of the persons heel, it is obvious that a shoe with a completely,laterally open heel can be worn without exposing to exterior observationthe partial foot sock of the present invention.

Other and allied advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the artafter a careful perusal, examination and study of the accompanyingillustrations, the present specification, and the appended claims.

To facilitate understanding, reference will be made to the hereinabovedescribed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative embodiment of thepresent invention in the position that it would normally assume whenbeing worn. However, for reasons of clarity, it is shown alone, with thefoot of the wearer and also the shoe being worn, both removed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but taken from adifferent angle so as to bring out the bottom portions of the device.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the form of thepresent invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in inserted and aflixedrelationship with respect to an open heeled ladys shoe. For reasons ofclarity, the Wearers foot is not shown.

Generally speaking, the device of the present invention includes athin-sheet pliable sole member of a configuration similar to that of ahuman foot and provided at the front thereof with a thin'sheet partialvamp or toe-cap portion forming, with the sole member a toereceivingpocket (or socket).

In the specific example illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the thin-sheetpliable sole member is of porous knitted fabric and is indicated.generally at 1. In the example illustrated, said sole member 1 includesa front or toe portion 1F, a middle or arch or shank portion 1M, and arear or heel portion 1R. In the example illustrated, the

thin-sheet partial vamp or toe-cap portion is indicated generally at 2and comprises a porous knitted fabric extension of the front portion 1Fof the sole member curved back so as to form the toe-receiving socket 3.

Also generally speaking, the sole member may include an underlyingresilient pad member co-extensive with and atfixed to the underside ofat least a portion of said sole member.

In the specific example illustrated, this resilient pad member takes theform of a compressible pad 4- of a suitable material (such as foamrubber or the like) suitably atfixed (such as by cementing or otherwise)to the underside of a rear portion of the sole member 1. In this use ofthe word rear, I do not specifically mean only the heel portion 1R butintend to include both the arch or shank portion 1M and the heel portion1R of the sole member 1.

Also generally speaking, the present invention includes downwardlydirected pressure-sensitive adhesive fastening means carried by theunderside of said sole member (or said pad member) adjacent the rear endthereof and cooperable for selectively removable fastening engagementwith the upper surface of the inside of a shoe sole (or shoe heel) of ashoe worn by a person whereby to effectively immobilize said rearportion of said sole member with respect to said shoe.

In the specific example illustrated, said pressure-sensitive adhesivemeans is of thin spatulate form and is suitably afiixed (adhesively orotherwise) to the underside of the portion of the pad member 4underlying the heel portion 1R of the sole member. Saidpressure-sensitive adhesive means is indicated at 5 and may comprise anyof the many types of pressure-sensitive adhesives well known in the art.

The operation of the device of the present invention can be brieflydescribed as follows:

The person (usually a Woman) inserts her toes into the toe-receivingsocket 3 and positions the same within the corresponding vamp portion 6of a shoe, while positioning the middle or arch or shank portion 1M andthe rear or heel portion IR (and the corresponding portions of theunderlying pad member 4) on top of corresponding surfaces of the shoeinner sole '1'. It will be noted that the pressure-sensitive adhesivemeans 5 will be brought into forcible engaging contact with the uppersurface of the heel portion of the shoe inner sole 7, thus locking therear portion 1R of the sole member in the proper position with respectto the shoe. The initial engagement of pressure-sensitive adhesive means5 and the upper surface of the heel portion of the shoe inner sole 7 maybe accomplished by manual pressure or, by pedal pressure, since the heelof the wearer will be exerting pressure during the wearing and using ofthe device. It is obvious that the heel portion 1R will not be salientlyvisible to an external observer.

When the shoe is removed, the pressure-sensitive adhesive means 5 can beremoved from engagement with respect to the shoe by merely grasping theheel portion 1R of the sole member (and the corresponding portion of thepad member 4) and lifting them upwardly with respect to the shoe. Thenthe entire device can be removed from the shoe.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention willoccur to those skilled in the art. All such properly within the basicspirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be includedand comprehended herein as fully as if specifically described,illustrated and claimed herein.

For example, in certain forms of the present invention, the resilientpad means may be modified substantially or, under some circumstances,eliminated entirely. Said pad means may be made of other materials, maybe thicker or thinner, may be co-extensive with greater or lesser areasof the sole member, or may be modified in other ways within the basicteachings hereof. The

means for fastening the pad member to the sole member may be modifiedand may be of an adhesive nature, of a mechanical nature (such as sewingor the like) or otherwise.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive means may assume a variety ofconfigurations and/or positions and may comprise various different types(compositions) of pressuresensitive adhesive means. The means forfastening said pressure-sensitive adhesive means to the sole member orto the pad member may be modified and may be of an adhesive nature, of amechanical nature (such as sewing or the like) or otherwise.

The partial vamp or toe-cap portion of the device may be modifiedsubstantially, as may the sole member itself, and both of them may bemade of a variety and different types of materials.

The exact compositions, configurations, relative positionings, andcooperative relationships between the various component parts of thepresent invention are not critical and can be modified substantiallywithin the spirit hereof.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described,illustrated and claimed herein are exemplary only, and are not intendedto limit the scope of the present invention, which is to be interpretedin the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with dueconsideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

1. A protective partial foot-covering adapted to be worn positionedeffectively between portions of a persons foot and portions of a shoeworn by said person, comprising: a thin-sheet pliable porous fabric solemember of a configuration similar to that of a human foot and having apliable porous front toe portion, a pliable porous middle arch portionand a pliable porous rear heel portion; said pliable porous middle archportion and said pliable porous rear heel portion being flat and withoutupstanding edge portions; said pliable porous front toe portion beingprovided with a connected thin-sheet pliable porous elastic fabricpartial vamp portion forming with said too portion a pliable porouselastic toe-receiving pocket at the front end only of said sole memberand without rearward extensions above said middle arch portion and saidrear heel portion of said sole member and rearward of said toe-receivingpocket; said sole member including an underlying resilient partial padmember coextensive with and affixed to the underside of the middle archportion and rear heel portion of said sole member only and forwardlyterminating adjacent the junction of said middle arch portion and saidfront toe portion of said sole member, thus not extending completelyunder said front to portion; downwardly directed pressuresensitiveadhesive fastening means carried by the underside of said portion ofsaid partial pad member underlying the heel portion of said sole memberand co-operable for selectively removable fastening engagement with theupper surface of the inside of the heel portion of a shoe worn by theperson whereby to effectively immobilize said heel portion of said solemember with respect to said shoe during the wearing thereof by a personand yet to allow selective removal of said sole member, said partialvamp portion, and said partial pad member from said shoe during periodsof non-use.

2. A protective partial foot-covering adapted to be worn positionedeffectively between portions of a person's foot and portions of a shoeworn by said person, comprising: a thin-sheet pliable porous knittedfabric sole member of a configuration similar to that of a human footand having a pliable porous front toe portion, a pliable porous middlearch portion and a pliable porous rear heel portion; said pliable porousmiddle arch portion and said pliable porous rear heel portion being fiatand without upstanding edge portions; said pliable porous front toeportion being provided with a connected thinsheet pliable porous elasticknitted fabric partial vamp portion forming with said toe portion apliable porous elastic toe-receiving pocket at the front end only ofsaid sole member and without rearward extensions above said middle archportion and said rear heel portion of said sole member and rearward ofsaid toe-receiving pocket, thus defining a thin-sheet pliable porousfabric sole member having a toe-receiving pocket at said front toeportion and being completely unobstructed above said middle arch portionand said rear heel portion of said sole member; said sole memberincluding an underlying resilient foam rubber partial pad memberco-extensive with and afiixed to the underside of the middle archportion and rear heel portion of said sole member only and forwardlyterminating adjacent the junction of said middle arch portion and saidfront toe portion of said sole member, thus not extending completelyunder said front toe portion; downwardly directed pressure-sensitiveadhesive fastening means carried by the underside of that portion ofsaid partial pad member underlying the heel portion of said sole memberand co-operable for selectively removable fastening engagement with theupper surface of the inside of the heel portion of a shoe worn by theperson whereby to effectively immobilize said heel portion of said solemember with respect to said shoe during the wearing thereof by a personand yet to allow selective removal of said sole member, said partialvamp portion, and said partial pad member from said shoe during periodsof non-use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS619,837 Petchaft Feb. 21, 1899 1,141,814 Mitchell June 1, 1915 1,436,463Silver Nov. 21, 1922 1,630,135 Roberts May 24, 1927 1,877,393 Friedmanet a1 Sept. 13, 1932 2,288,199 Levy June 30, 1942 2,435,337 BillingsleyFeb. 3, 1948

